Description

USSNevada (BB-36)- The "Cheer Up
Ship!" The USS Nevada, a venerable veteran of WWI, was
the only American battleship to get underway during the December 7,
1941 attack at Pearl Harbor. USS Nevada (BB-36) launched in
1914 was one of the two "Nevada" class battleships and she was the
second ship to be named for the "Silver State." Her sister ship was
the USS Oklahoma. She was commissioned in 1916, the most
modern, and powerful oil-fired battleship of the day. As a mark of
the high esteem in which he was held, Nevada's first captain
was William Sowden Sims, who is credited with coining her nickname,
the "Cheer Up Ship."

This is a 48-star, double applique, sewn stripe, 84" X 138", cotton
bunting, "Best" brand flag finished with a white canvas heading and
two grommets. The flag is marked on the obverse hoist, "FLAG DAY
[illegible] BY RADAR OPR. CHARLES T. SEHE" and "CHEER UP SHIP" and
"NORMANDY, IWO JIMA, OKINAWA" and "UTAH UNCLE SECTOR" and USS
NEVEDA - BB 36" and "1st TO SAIL - PEARL HBR. 7 DEC. - ON TO
TOKOYO." There is a stamped maker's mark of the Valley Forge Flag
Company and a size marking, "8X12."

This flag was conveyed to the Rungee Museum collection by USS
Nevada crewman Charles T. Sehe in 1946. Charles Sehe
confirmed in an interview for this catalog description that this
was indeed his flag and that it had been aboard from the beginning.
His story is the WWII story of the Nevada.

Sehe enlisted in the US Navy after he graduated from high school in
1940. He was seventeen and needed his mother's permission. He was
assigned to the USS Nevada, then at Bremerton, Washington,
right after graduating from the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.
On the Nevada, Sehe's Battle Station was the starboard
search light platform high above the main deck so he had a bird's
eye view of the Pearl Harbor attack, the damage sustained by
Nevada, her getting underway, and subsequent grounding.

After the attack, sailors from severely damaged or sunken ships
were reassigned to other billets throughout the Pacific Fleet.
Sehe, a relatively new and inexperienced bluejacket, was selected
to remain with the skeleton crew. He did, and subsequently spent
the entire war on the USS Nevada; through her refit back at
Puget Sound Navy Yard, to her service in the Aleutian Islands for
the recapture of Attu, on to Norfolk Navy Yard for modernization,
her North Atlantic Convoy duty, for her flagship duties at D-Day,
where she provided very accurate shore bombardment at Utah Beach
(the only Pearl Harbor battleship present at Normandy), in southern
France for more naval gunfire in Operation Dragoon, her return to
the States for a refit before sailing back to the Pacific for
invasion support at Iwo Jima (where he watched the flag being
raised), and finally to Okinawa, where the Nevada was hit by
a kamikaze. He was aboard when the Nevada sailed into Tokyo
Bay after the cessation of hostilities.

Sehe, the Nevada, and this ensign were all eyewitnesses to
history. Sehe used the GI Bill to receive a doctorate in zoology
and became Professor of Biology at Minnesota State University in
Mankato, Minnesota. The USS Nevada became an atomic test
ship at Bikini Atoll.

Ensigns of any type from the USS Nevada are exceedingly
rare, but a documented flag from a still living USS Nevada
veteran is a unique opportunity for an advanced collector. This
flag would complement Pearl Harbor, Aleutians, North Atlantic,
D-Day, European, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Pacific, or Atom Bomb
collections.

USS Nevada Awards: World War I Victory Medal with "Atlantic
Fleet" and "Grand Fleet" clasps, American Defense Service Medal
with "Fleet" clasp, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific
Campaign Medal with five campaign stars, European-African-Middle
Eastern Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, World War II
Victory Medal, and Navy Occupation Medal with "Asia" clasp.

Condition: The Nevada flag is in good condition. It is used, worn,
soiled, and repaired at the upper and lower fly corners. There are
numerous splits in the stripes at the fly edge, but the ensign is
otherwise complete.

This flag was formerly in the collection of Dr. Clarence Rungee,
and is accompanied by his original museum inventory sheet with
identifying information.

Learn about consigning with us

The resulting auction of my property overwhelmed me. I want to thank Tom Slater and the Heritage team for a very satisfactory experience and profitable result with my historical consignment.
Henry L.,Lexington, KY